Apr 7, 2011

I woke up today to an email from "Alison G," representing Rob Granito. These people know no shame. Who pays for an interview? Why should I believe anything Granito says at this point? How worthless is his word, and why should I pay 150 dollars for it?

Well, folks, here you go. Straight up from the "offices" of the Charlie Sheen Peewee Herman (in terms of being a comedic figure, I'm definitely not saying that Peewee stole like this) of comics, Rob Granito.

I only put up this picture so anyone reposting this on Facebook won't be posting my face.

Dear Comics News, Blogs, and Journalists:

March 2011 was a month that the comics industry, and comics fandom, was not expecting! A month where suddenly comics websites became 'TMZ-like', and scandal and tabloid excitement erupted. This was due to the controversial Rob Granito.

We ask you to consider looking past personal feelings and judgement to consider the following:

-A Facebook Group about Robert Granito had over 3,000 members in less than a week

-Websites such as comicsalliance, Wired, and many others made Rob Granito a major headline

-An entire convention panel is due to Rob Granito, called 'How Should An Artist React To Being Granito'd'?

The Blog owner at All Things Geeky even explained how he had thousands of visitors to his site when he had never experienced that before. Rob Granito has gotten more attention and caused more talking amongst his detractors and his fans than any other comics professional!

Now is YOUR chance to take advantage of this red-hot story. As Charlie Sheen has proven in the mainstream media, controversy sells. It has been proven, and suggested by the convention fans blog that Rob Granito is the Charlie Sheen of Comics. And just like Charlie Sheen caused MAJOR headlines with his controversial 20/20 interview, now YOU can get Rob Granito to sit for an interview for your site or blog!

Rob Granito will live up to his image as the bad boy of comics, who admits he has made some mistakes (but who hasn't?) but also points out that comics fandom at large does not know the WHOLE story. Find out how Rob Granito began as an artist. Discover what his experience was with the legendary Dave Stevens. Find out what REALLY went down with Mark Waid. Learn how Rob feels about the comics professionals who have derided his name in the past few weeks like Ty Templeton Jamar Igle, Al Rio, and more!

We assure you Rob Granito will live up to his interview commitments. We guarantee candid, explanatory revelations. Rob Granito proved he shook up the world in March 2011! Now watch him light up the Spring comics schedule. "I will keep going to conventions", he says. Also, why did BleedingCool decide to break the Rob Granito story out of nowhere? Why was it pursued with such a fever? "There is more there that you dont know about", says Rob.

Thank you for your time. We look forward to working with you.
Alison c/o
Robert Granito Art Services

UPDATED

I responded to Alison with the following:

Rob Granito is not the Charlie Sheen of comics. Rob Granito is the laughingstock of comics. Rob Granito is Peewee Herman.

I admire you sticking up for your husband, but to even try to scam people into paying you for an interview (do you think Alan Moore charges for interviews?) is just as shameless and as unethical as everything he's done.

Please never bother me again, Mrs. Granito.

Her response?

Mr. Tano

I am not Rob Granito's wife. I am a manager/press agent. He will be the hottest newsheadline in comics! Please take advantage of this amazing offer.

Ali

To which I said:

You people have no shame. At all.

And she said:

How is it different from the Charlie Sheen situation.. he did bad stuff and people still rush to his interviews.

Please don't do another newsstory or headline about Rob Granito on your website then without consulting us.

Of course, I wasn't planning to, until she emailed me and made a big fool of both of themselves. But instead of saying that, I just said:

WHOOPS. Too late.

Furthermore, I heartily apologize to everyone, including Peewee Herman, for comparing Rob Granito to Peewee Herman. I just meant that Granito is a laughingstock, and I just saw WrestleMania a few days ago, and Peewee Herman was there, obviously to be laughed at. Rob Granito is not Peewee Herman. Feel free to laugh at him, however, all you wish.

UPDATED!

Just got another email from Ali. Check it out!

If you continue with slander and defecations of character, we will pursue this. We thought you were fair and unbiased Duy but you are quickly showing you just wanted to jump on the bandwagon because it is the "hip" thing to do. Well I will give you a scoop. Not only is it impossible to ban Rob Granito as a vendor at future conventions, but he is already working on a one-man show for the New York Comic Con this October where he makes amends and apologizes for his mistakes while giving the audience more details into the whole story and sheds new light on what REALLY happened. I am just terribly sorry you couldn't have been a part of this with an exclusive Rob Granito interview for your little site. Good Day.

I didn't bother replying to this, but... defecations? WHA?

It seems obvious to me that anyone who REALLY wants to clear his name would just come out and clear it right away. But no. They're not like that.

(I also just want to add - I never claimed to be unbiased. This is an opinion blog, not a news source.)

99 comments:

He must be kidding! Oh yes all the American public and whomever else is buying tickets to the Charlie Sheen show are you all stupid? Just because you cause some controversy doesn't mean many of us or at least many of us that are somewhat sane want to hear from you. Geez.

I love that these two unrelenting liars are offering to tell us what "really" happened as though they were capable of speaking without dissembling. That's classic Granito: Attempting another fraud, without the slightest awareness that it's painfully obvious. Hey, Allison, how much Smirnov did it take for the chinless wonder to spread your knees the first time, or did you charge him a fee?

Sir Atticus MacPhearson.

PS: They also offer to tell us (for a fee) what Rob thinks of the way my friend Ty Templeton has been treating him online lately. (I'm not Ty, I just use his computer to check my emails, I swear, I've never met him personally, though we are roommates and close friends...and he sometimes calls himself the Emilio Estevez of comics) I heard at Wonder Con that Ty hopes he hasn't upset the Granito boy. That would pain Ty greatly to think Granito's feelings might have been hurt when he called this lovely married couple of pair of stupid cunts.

There was an episode of 'Dexter' where he was about to kill a couple that was mistreating Cuban immigrants and asked them how they could love each other because they were both such horrible people. Their response was that it worked because they "wanted the same things", which is what this sounds like to me. The worst part of all this is that the folks Granito stole from (both the artists he ripped off and the customers he sold things to) will never actually get anything back even if he's stopped now, and he knows it.

A few moments ago, I suggested that Alison Granito was some sort of prostitute, and might have charged Granito a fee to get at her lady bits. My wife has suggested that I crossed a line with that comment as it was a form of slut-shaming...and okay..I understand that prostitution is a fairly honourable profession, and gives value for the money, so I shouldn't have said it. I have nothing against Granito's wife because of her gender, it's more her being a complete piece of garbage as a whole, and not as a whore. I genuinely didn't mean to be offensive to women, only to her and her pathetic husband, so...whoops! Mea Culpa.

Granito comparing himself to Charlie Sheen in any way is baffling. Charlie Sheen has been a professional actor for more than two decades and has had some very impressive performances over his career. He's helped projects gain commercial and critical success. Granito is a fucking shitbag who made a living by scamming unsuspecting convention goers by selling stolen artwork. It's not the same fucking ballpark.

Stop clinging to the names of legitimately(legit-o-mite!) successful people, scumbag.

Yeah, ol' Rob messed up and posted in the Convention Fan Blog as "Dave Call" saying his, er, "Rob's" wife & manager was helping construct his press release. I'm sure it was her OBVIOUSLY superior brain that came up with the idea to try to sell "buzzwords" like "bad boy of comics" and "Charlie Sheen of comics" after getting drunk and watching a 2 1/2 Men marathon.

I'm going to add one thing, and that's the fact that Charlie Sheen obviously needs professional help. Clearly. I personally don't find his antics funny (though I can see why some would); I think it's a serious problem which requires serious treatment. For the Granitos to take advantage of that fact, to me, is personally disgusting.

And now he's invoking the name of Dave Stevens!?! The same Dave Stevens whose work is among the many artists he's swiped! Who, no longer being with us, can't refute whatever bullshit story Rob wants a few bucks to tell?

Someone should seriously call social services on these people. I've seen children taken away from their parents for a lot less. They are criminals and con-artist. Maybe the threat of losing their children will knock some sense into them.

Hey Rob and Alison! Ill pay that $250 dollar fee, if you can produce a single comic drawn by Rob Published by any of the big publishers. With his name printed in it. Produce just one comic credit, And get money, or produce nothing and get called a pair of STUPID CUNTS.

Hmm.... I am not seeing any "controversy anywhere. It appears that there is universal agreement that the guy is a theif and an ass.When I first used "Granito = WINNING" on the first day of the controversy, I'd never have expected that the guy would twist this into somehow trying to see it as a compliment.... nor that anyone would view Sheen's situation as an example of how their own is acceptable. Does anyone view what Sheen is doing as ok, muchless admirable? *No, to the best of my knowledge, I haven't Granitoed this truth.*

There's a HUGE difference between Rob Granito and Charlie Sheen. One is a very accomplished, talented and well-respected creative professional who has worked hard to hone his craft, who has produced numerous works showing himself to be a bona fide talent, and who, despite his personal problems, is someone worthy of the attention he receives since he is, above all else, an extremely talented guy. And the other is Rob Granito.

Hes's a Sociopath, and Sociopaths always win, no matter what they do to those around them. He conned many and got money from that, now he's impersonating someone (female) to get more money. They care only for a few things; Money, fame and sex. They lie, cheat and steal to get it.

On Sociopaths, they will turn your words around (Like seeing some things as a compliment), and often surround themselves/look to people who do similar things to justify their own actions (Him looking to Charlie Sheen). They have no conscience. Know what else has no conscience? Evil. They're only in it for one person; themselves.

Also, $150 for 20 questions comes to, what? $7.50 each? That's not that cost effective. What happens if you go over 20? If you ask 21 questions (Because they consider "Am I Speaking to Rob" one question) will they charge you $157.50?

I wouldn't do it anyway, because all the answers would be taken from other, more popular, more talented artists interviews.

The bad part is now no one can write about the Granitos without consulting with them first. Because I guess that's how it works now.

If someone does interview him, I hope they do it also on video and have him draw a randomly chosen character on the spot, in a specific style. That shouldn't be too hard, given his oh so flexible skills.

Didn't this guy also forge signatures of famous people onto animation cells and the like? Isn't forgery a punishable crime? Especially if you then sell those items for profit? Is anyone considering pursuing legal action?

Rob isn't the Pee Wee Herman of comics. He's the Sid Vicious: a no-talent who figures that a self-inflicted controversy should be worthy of payment from any reporter willing to cover it. At least when Sid went on with his post-Sex Pistols career, he admitted that all he was doing was covers.

Folks get paid for interviews all the time. You think RPattz etc go do interviews for the heck of it. No. They don't. Now in many cases they are paid as part of their contract for whatever project they are working on which is the subject of the interview. But when they aren't promoting something yes they get paid by whomever to come talk. So that part of what this woman is doing isn't outside of the norm. It's just her egoistical way of doing it that is the joke. This guy is NOT that awesome and is not worth any kind of money. She should have looked at the articles to see how blogs and sites feel about the guy and known that no one was going to bite. And then she made it worse with her "you are wrong dummy" toned emails. Sometimes you are better off not responding

This is truly bizarre. Honestly, if I found myself in such a situation, where the industry I worked in (allegedly) were attacking my credibility and ethics, I would be pursuing all avenues to be able to tell my side of the story, and set things right. Wouldn't have the gall to ask for one cent, I would be grateful for the opportunity to tell my side of the story. I would want to explain and clarify any issues where my actions might have been misunderstood. Only a scam artist would be looking at this situation as yet another opportunity to make a dishonest buck.

Popular theory is that he has the Kruger-Dunning effect, in essence the fancy way of saying "Too stupid to know he's stupid." But if he IS stringing everyone along, then he's doing a good job, and he'll forever be notorious instead of respected.

I think it be best that YOU get YOUR facts straight.1) There has been NO DEFAMATION of character on Duy's part. As everything said about you both has been said on the intenet, it's protected. As long as nobody has directly threatened eihter of you directly, there's nothing you can do, and no lawyer on this planet will go to bat over an issue such as this, especially with your repuations of late.

2) It IS possible to have Rob banned and it has been done. He has been dropped by pretty much every major convention, which has been verified a number of times, and will not be allowed a table anywhere. This has gotten to the point where many of the smaller gatherings have banned him as well. It is liely in the works that if Rob shows his face, he would be escorted out by security. See, people don't appreciate scam artists, liars and thieves.

3) As for Rob's floor show - see #2. Instead of doing what the rest of the planet would do, which is do everything in his power to make amends, he, and now you, have done absolutely nothing but spin this to make him look like a victim. What you both, again, fail to realise also, is all of this chicanery has been going on for years, people have stepped up and are still stepping up offering their experiences of being shuystered by Rob. The preponderance of evidence is against him, and now you - being an accomplice also comes with it's own charges. Good job, there.

Now, before you further humiliate yourself, and as what I am saying is reflected by the thousands of people who have their eye on you, I would suggest instead of behaving like this is good, think about how this is refelcting on your family. RIght now, you two are the most reviled people in recent history, and to compare Rob to Charlie Sheen? That wasn't a good idea. Do the right thing and do what you can to make amends. You are wrong in this and if you insist on continuing with this charade, then it will only get worse for both of you. Consider yourselves warned. This is the only one you are likely to get, as fair's fair. After this, it WILL be game on and you WILL lose the game.

I think we're well past the application of the Dunning-Kruger effect here (which really isn't about intelligence, but about competence, but I digress. . . .), but I think it applies to the level of ineptitude in his fakes.

Most criminals at the low end of the income scale simply aren't that intelligent.

Considering the recent VV article about the poverty of cartoonists, one would have to be a very stupid criminal to choose that role as one to start a scamming operation.

Summing up; they're stupid, ignorant, delusional and incompetent. Their children would be better off abandoned in the wild to be raised by wolves.

man rob granito is a strait up PIMP! yall just jealous lol i will be contacted the nycccom to tell them i wanna buy a ticket to see rob granito granito in the house! see he has fans their just not keyboard cowboys

"man rob granito is a strait up PIMP! yall just jealous lol i will be contacted the nycccom to tell them i wanna buy a ticket to see rob granito granito in the house! see he has fans their just not keyboard cowboys"

Rob, you're an idiot. You are the ONLY person defending yourself on ANY blogs. These sockpuppet follow-ups are just embarrassing, dude. Come on, man. Have some self-respect. Obvious Granito is obvious.

no youse cant stop getting enough about rob granito this proves he has charismah and he allways brings in fans and readers say what you want but this is proof WHUP THERE IT IS rob granito in the house the bad boy of comics !

"no youse cant stop getting enough about rob granito this proves he has charismah and he allways brings in fans and readers say what you want but this is proof WHUP THERE IT IS rob granito in the house the bad boy of comics !"

Listen, Rob, you illiterate, inbred douche, EVERYONE KNOWS THAT'S YOU. You are NOT the "bad boy of comics." In order for that to happen, you'd first need to actually work in the comics industry, which you don't. Every person and company you claim to have worked for has denounced you as a liar. You have no charisma, and you have no fans. You have only your various sockpuppet aliases, an astoundingly inept grasp of the written language, a wife as stupid and dishonest as you are, a criminal record and delusions of grandeur. You're an ink stain, like the fake smudges of children's art-set paint you splashed on your face to make it look like you actually create art, which you don't. Enjoy your inevitable obscurity, you talentless troglodyte pariah. No one takes you or your wife seriously, and no one will ever pay you for an interview since no one gives a crap what you have to say.

Now let's all pause a moment while Rob and Alison look up the terms "troglodyte" and "pariah." Given their poor showings to date with regard to the English language (see "legitomite" and "defecations of character"), it's certain they have no idea what those words mean.

Oh my anonymous, this is how you wish to continue. ~sigh~ Very well.Remember, ROb and Alison, you were BOTH fairly warned. You have opened yourselves up to whatever the future holds for you. If Anonymous isn't a Granito, then you are as pathetic as thy are. Loser.As for a keyboard cowboy? You'd better listen and listen good, little boy, you have just awakend a dragon! I spent the first years of my adulthood fighting for my country. I've been to other countries, saved a lot of lives, been shot, stabbed, and treated in ways you only see in the movies. I've worked in the field of law enforcement and security since 1993, and have been a part of some really cool things and involved in some of the nastiest thinga human beings can do to each other. You, little boy and ANYONE associated with you, have just earned my very personal wrath. You have taken advantage of very forgiving people, and tolerated by the rest.It will become my delight for you to respond to me directly. I'm on facebook. I'm not hard to find. I'd gladly LOVE to meet you AND your little sphincter boy bodyguard in a ring. PUBLICLY. Full contact. Bring your own equipment. SHow the world how much of a man you are and meet me professionally in the ring. Otherwise you are the worthless coward everyone thinks you are. Come on, chump - think you and your chum can handle a "keyboard cowboy" with over 20 years of fighting under his belt? I eagerly await your response.

William, you have nothing to prove, man. Granito has only one single defender and supporter on the entire Internet--his wife. And that's it. Not one person to date has taken his side, other than her. Every other post supporting him has been written by Granito. He's as obvious as George W. Bush, Day Quayle and Sarah Palin would be at a Mensa convention. So don't worry--the ONLY cowards in ANY of this have been Rob and Alison Granito. You are an admirable person. They are pond scum.

Lance,I hate Granito as much as the next person, but do you really want to open a can of worms as to which political party has the stupider members? Joe Biden, Sheila Jackson Lee, Nancy Pelosi, the pretender in chief himself...?

Try not to fracture the unity of all of us who despise Granito & what he's done & continues to do.

Anonymous wrote: "I hate Granito as much as the next person, but do you really want to open a can of worms as to which political party has the stupider members? Joe Biden, Sheila Jackson Lee, Nancy Pelosi, the pretender in chief himself...? Try not to fracture the unity of all of us who despise Granito & what he's done & continues to do."

Ummmm... huh? I never brought any political parties into this at all. So I never opened any such cans, nor did I do any unity-fracturing. You did that all by yourself, by making this partisan. I simply mentioned three people known for being as monumentally stupid as the Granitos. I said nothing about partisan politics, nor did I even indicate which side of the political spectrum I'm on. I could just as easily have mentioned Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian, who are also widely seen as morons. How about channeling your annoyance at Granito instead of at me? For crying out loud, man. Stay on target.

Rob, Ali, it is quite understandable why you are suffering these "defecations." After all these years of your shitting on the comic industry, the artists, and the fans, it is only fair that they return the favor.

Just jumping in here to point something out the Granitos (who I know are reading this) might be considering based on their follow up email to Duy: The New York Comic Con rarely pays anyone--well, anyone who isn't a special guest or a movie star, I suppose--to appear on or run one of their panels.

If the Fraud Squad thinks concocting some sort of half-assed one man show ala Charlie Sheen's recent stage show and then asking conventions pay them to run it as a panel is a surefire way to make up for suddenly missing revenue, well...they're in for a rude awakening and I don't envy Lance Fensterman and the good people at Reed Exhibitions for the ridiculous email they're about to receive.

"I simply mentioned three people known for being as monumentally stupid as the Granitos."

And all I did was mention four people as monumentally stupid as the Granitos. Maybe you think the three you mentioned are stupid, but not everyone does. That's a good way to get people who don't share your leftist opinions to stop following this story.

And please don't play innocent--& insult my intelligence--at mentioning only Republicans. You chose those three because of your partisan biases.

I was being more accurate; Granito steals the fruits of other people's hard work & makes a living off of them--that's the textbook definition of socialism.

Stay on target yourself, mister. This guy's still a problem to be dealt with, & the last thing those of us who want him stopped need is to feel as if only leftists need apply here.

I've been in the television and publishing industries for sixteen years, and in all that time I NEVER heard of anyone paying for an interview like this. I interviewed Mark Millar, and he didn't ask for a dime. I sure as hell ain't going to pay this joker.

Has anyone contacted NYCC to verify her claim that he'll be in attendance? Or told them that they shouldn't have him there? He's either thinking this'll all have died-down by then, or he's so delusional he still thinks he'll be a "big deal" in 6 months....

@Lance: Anonymous is correct. As much of a flaming pinko leftie as I am, I believe you still shouldn't have made an anti-republican comment like that here. I'm all for left/right politics, and devote way more of my time to it than I should, but right wing folks(like Ethan for instance)are as much as part of this community as anyone else, and your response to being called on it was disingenuous. I personally was fine with making fun of Bush, but you can't pretend it wasn't political. So, everyone is welcome here, just so long as no one says anything in support of that Dewey fellow. I'm for Harry Truman all the way.

Ty, there was nothing disingenuous about my response. I said nothing anti-Republican, nor was I even making a political statement. I just compared three people who are often mocked as being stupid to the Granitos, who are also stupid. Crikey, you guys are making WAY too much out of this. Gheez.

I honestly hope my response to Ty isn't deleted, as I've posted two responses to Anonymous explaining my position, but for some reason, though comments disappeared. I am neither leftist nor anti-Republican, and Anonymous and Ty are both making assumptions about me based solely on what was just a throw-away joke about stupid people, nothing more.

My name is Mike, just so we are clear that I am in no way connected to the ass-hat that is Granito. I've been following this story for a while and I am amazed by some of the insanity, stupidity, and ignorance of the Granitos (kinda sounds like a salty snack but don't tell the kraft folks cause it'll happen). My father and I have been collecting comics for well over 40 years and until about a month ago, I had never heard of this guy. I'm gonna have ta send a message to Stan Lee and see if he knows anymore about this guy. Stan usually answers questions that get his attention so this might get a response.

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